Trolley-wheel.



No. 726,868. PATENTBD MAY 5, 1903.

' 11B. QORBY.

TROLLEY. WHEEL.

APrLmATIoN FILED Mmm. 1902. No MODEL.

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Unirse Sra'rns Patented May 5, 190s.

.PATENT Carros. ,i

FRED B. COREY, OF SCHENECTADYLNEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEWr YORK.

TROLLEY-WH EEL.

:SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 726,868', dated May 5, 1903.

Application iiled August 2l, 1902.

Serial No. 120,482. KNO model.)

To all whom it may concer-7c.-

Be it known that I, FRED B. COREY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenec--V tady, in the county ofScheneetady,Stateofv New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Trolley-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in trolley-wheels,and especially totrolley-wheels of comparatively large diameter to be used on rapidly-moving vehicles. In trolley-Wheels of this class it is especially desirable that the Wheel be lightly constructed and in perfect balance.

The object of my invention is the production of a trolley-wheel in which the weight of the Wheel is reduced to a mini mum and which 'shows in section, and Fig. 4 in elevation, a

modified form of my invention.

The hub 1 of the trolley-wheel is tubular in form and is provided with the usual bushing 2, in which the journal supporting the wheel is mounted. An oil-receptacle 3 is formed intermediate the ends of the hub surrounding the bushing, and suitable orices a are provided by means ofA which the oil is conducted to the interior surface of the bushing. An opening 5 and cap 6 are provided for introducing the oil into the oil-receptacle. A cylindrical flange or rib 7 is formed at one end of the hub. The other end of the hub is screw-threaded and has a ring-shaped nut 8 threaded on it. The nut 8 is so proportioned that when assembled the two ends of the hub are symmetrical.

The tread of the wheel consists of a ringshaped piece 9, of substantially rectangular cross-section, made out of copper or other suitable material. This piece may be formed,

if desired, by cutting off a section of a tube. The flanges 10 of the wheel are made out of sheet metal and are annular-shaped. portion 11 of the flange is flared in the usual manner. An intermediate portion 12 is perpendicular to the axis of the wheel and abuts against the edge of the tread portion 9. Another portion of the flange 13 adjacent to the portion l2 extends at right angles thereto. The inner portion 14 of the ange is parallel tothe portion 12. The flanges '10 are so proy portioned that the portions 13 form a cylindrical bearing-surface-forthe tread-piece 9 lof a width slightly less than that of the tread-piece and of a diameter initially suf- Viiciently greater than that of the internal diameter of the tread-piece 9 to make a tight t when assembled as shown in Fig. 1.

A pair of dish-shaped clamping members or spiders l5, made out of sheet metal, are employed to sustain the rim portion ot' the wheel.

The clamping members are provided with a -central oriiice'in which the hub of the wheel lits. A flange 16 is formed on the inner face of the clamping members in order to make a more rigid connection with the hub. Portions of the clamping members may be cut away, as indicated at 1 6, in order to reduce the Weight of the wheel. Radial stiifening ycorrugations 16 may be formed in the spider,

if desired. The outer periphery of the clamp- -ing 'members engage the portions 13 and 14 of the iianges 10 at their intersection, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. l

In assembling the wheel the clamping member shown at the left in Fig. l is placed on the hub. The anges 10 and tread-piece 9 are then placed in position against the periphery of the left-hand clamping member and the right-hand clamping member is placed in position. The nut 8, which is provided with suitable Spanner-openings, (not`shown,) is then forced home. This makes the whole Wheel rigid,'and as the parts are made outof sheet metalany slight imperfection in itwill be overcome in the assembling process. gWhen the tread-piece 9 or the flanges 10 wear out, it is only necessary to unscrew the nut 8 in order to remove the Worn piece or pieces and replace them by new ones.

In Figs. 3 and 4. I have shown a slightly modiiied form of my invention in which ringshaped pieces of metal, such as brass, are

The l used to form a lining for the flanges 10, which are preferably made of steel. These liningpieces 17 have their outer peripheries turned over the outer periphery of the supportingflange 10, forming a bead 18. The use of the lining-flange 17, made out of brass or some other comparatively soft metal, is desirable, especially in trolley-Wheels carried by highspeed vehicles, as the softer material does not wear the trolley-Wire as rapidly as does ihe steel flange. The surface of the steel flange is apt to become file-like from the conslant arcing to which it is exposed. In the construction shown in Figs, 3 and 4 the bead 18 forms a means for securing the flange 10 and the lining 17 rigidly together. It also protects the trolley-wire from all danger of coming in contact With the steel flange of the trolley-wheel.

The clamping members or spiders 15 and the flange members are both preferably formed by stamping them from sheet metal. The lining-pieces 17 are preferably formed in the same manner, and the bead 1S may be turned over the outer edge of the flange 10 in like manner.

Modifications in the form and construction of my trolley-Wheel may be made Without departing from my invention, as I do not consider it to be limited to the exact details here shown.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination of a pair of flanges, a pair of clamping members, and a ring-shaped tread-piece positioned by the flanges, the flanges and tread-piece being supported entirely by the clamping members.

2. In combination, a hub, a pair of sheetmetal spider members, an annular tread member, and a pair of sheet-metal flanges, the flanges supporting said tread member and being provided with means for engaging said spider members, and means for forcing said spiders together.

3. In combination, a hub, a pair of sheetmetal spider members, a pair of flange members, and a tread member carried by said flange members.

il. In combination, a pair of clamping members, a pair of flange members, and a ringshaped tread member, the flange members having portions bent to embrace the sides and a portion of the inner periphery of the tread member, and other portions to form with the rst-mentioned portions surfaces to be engaged by said clamping members, and means for forcing said clamping members together and thereby maintain the flanges and tread member in position.

5. In combination, an annular rim portion, a hub, and a pair of clamping members carried by said hub and supporting said rim portion, the clamping members being formed of sheet metal and dished so that they are separated at the hub more than they are at the rim, and means for forcing the central portions of the clamping members toward one another.

6. In combination, a ring shaped tread member, a pair of annular flange members one at each side of the tread member, a portion of each flange member intermediate its edges being bent to form a cylindrical seat for the inner surface of said tread member, a hub, a pair of clamping members mounted thereon, the said clamping members engaging the inner edges of said flanges, and means for forcing the clamping members toward one another whereby the parts are rigidly held together.

7. In a trolley-wheel, a removable hard sheet-metal flange provided With a lining of suitable conductorengaging material, the outer edge of said lining memberbeing turned over and embracing the edge of said flange.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of August, 1902.

FRED B. COREY.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, ALMA L. MENsoHKE. 

